Glassware washing machine



Aug. il 19%. A. R. LOFSTRAND GLASSWARE WASHING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1943 .Zvfsfranfl 3, W49. A. R. LOFSTRAND 29480915 GLAS SWARE WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19. 19

6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 W49. A. R. LOFSTRAND 2,480,150

GLASSWARE WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 v //4" M v 437- 9 finders RLb/sfrani ugo 3, E949. A. R. LOFSTRAND GLASSWARE WASHING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 19, 1943 Ems I .1! l i i r w% 3mm 724 6 rs RLa/sirami 1949. A. R. LOFSTRAND 2,480,150

GLASSWARE WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 72 Zara 1 2.1 0/5 franc? A. R. LOFSTRAND Aug. 30, 1949.

'GIJASSWARE WASHING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 19, 1943 Q N $711875 Rio/sirani Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE GLASSWARE WASHING MACHINE Anders Rudolf Lofstrand, 'SilverSpring, Md.

Application August 19, 1943, SeiialNo. 499,271

Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in glasswarewashing'machines and is an improvement over the washing machines embodied in prior Pa-tents Numbers 1,992,9'20issued February 26, 1335 and 2052335, issued September 1, 1936.

An object cf this invention isto provide an improved glassware washing machine which is designed particu'iarlyior use in washing tumblers which are positioned in a wire basket.

Another objector this invention is to provide a machine of this kind including a vertically movable elevator adaptedtosupport the tumblers or glassware, the elevator beingsubstantially balanced so as to eliminate any undue weight in the operation of the machine.

iurther-obiect of this invention is to provide a'm'achine "of this kind whichinclud'es an upper brush carrier adapted to be initially lowered to an operative position and releasably locked in this positionto provide means for brushing the bottcmsof thetumbie'rs during the washing operation.

further object of this inventionis to provide, in a'ma'chine-o'f this kind, animproved tub structure whichincludes a pair of compartments and a closure therefor, the closure being automaticallyshiitable in a direction opposite from the shifting of the tumbler carrier so that the latter can readily belowe-red into or raised from the desired compartment and the closure may, if 'desired, be used for drying or draining of the washed articles.

A further object of this invention'is to provide improved means in the form of Va compensating --s tiucture for compensating or equalizing the tension on the elevator, and the operating lever asthel-ever is rockedtolowerthe elevator into the desired washing-compartment orto raise the "elevator from the compartment.

With "the foregoing andother objects in view, the invention 7 consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will belhereinafter more particularly described, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is showman embodiment of thisrinvenbutit. is fto he understcod that such changes and variations may be made as come within the scope oi'the claims, without departing from the invention.

fInthe drawings:

Figure l. isa detail side elevation, partly broken away and in vertical section, of -.a1g-lassware or tumbler washingmachine constructed according to an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a detail front elevation, partly broken away, of the machine;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken on the line !-"4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line '5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan of the rear upper portion of the device;

Figure 7 is 'a detail rear elevation of the upper rear portion of the device;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken onthe'line 3'8 of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 3;

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line I'll-l0 of Figure 9';

Figure 11 is a detail side elevation of one of the rollers for the lower carriage;

Figure 12 is a'deta'il top plan of one of the brush members;

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken on the line Iii-#13 of Figure 4; and

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line I l-44 of Figure 4.

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a modified form of pulley.

Fig, .16 is an end elevation of the pulley in Figure 15.

Referring tothe drawing, the numeral l5 designates generally a tub structure which includes longitudinal vertical side walls It and H and end walls l3 and I9. The partition or dividing wall is disposed between the front and rear walls It and l! respectively, and divides the interior of the-tub into a washing compartment 21, and a rinsing compartment 22. Aperforate drain or drying structuragenerally designated as 23, is disposedin extended relation with respect tothe end wall I8, and includes a horizontal periorate top wall 24 which is secured to the open upper end of an air conducting duct 25 for conducting heated air through the perforate Wall 24 to dry the glasses or other articles which are placed on the drain or drying structure 23.

A horizontal movable carriage, generally designated as 26, is movably mounted on the upper end ofthe tub 15. The tub l5, at the upper edge thereof, is provided along the 'front and rear walls thereof with outwardly extending flanges 21 and 28 constituting-a trackway and the flanges 2'! and 2B haveintegrally formed therewith channelled or usshaped edge reinforcing members 29 and 30, respectively.

The horizontal shiftable carrier 26 comprises a top plate or wall 9| which is formed with a front depending flange 32, a rear depending flange 33, and opposite end flanges 34. A plurality of rollers are rotatably carried by the under side of the carriage 26 inwardly of the front and rear flanges thereof, being journalled on stationary shafts 36 which are secured to a pair of inwardly projecting ears 31 formed on the inner sides of the end walls 34. The rollers 35 are adapted to engage on the upper surfaces of the tracks 21 and 28, and preferably the upper leg or side 38 of the front reinforcing member 29 is upwardly offset from the track 2'! so as to provide a flange preventing sidewise or forward movement of the front rollers 35. The rear channelled member 39 also has the upper leg 39 thereof upwardly offset from the track 28 to provide a shoulder or fiange against which the rear sides of the rear rollers 35 are adapted to engage.

The top plate 3| is provided with a relatively large rectangular opening 40 which is substantially smaller than the plate 3|, thereby providing a ledge or shelf 4| at one end of the carrier 26. The opening 46 provides space in the top plate 3| through which the elevator, to be hereinafter described, is adapted to movably engage.

The closure plate 42 is mounted within the top l5 and is of a size sufficient to close a selected one of the compartments 2| or 22. The closure 42 is adapted to have one end thereof overlie the dividing wall 29 in either position of the closure. The closure 42 is s'lidably mounted on inwardly extending flanges or guides 43 and 44 which are secured to the inner sides of the walls It and I1, respectively, adjacent the upper portions of these walls. The closure 42 has fixed to the upper side thereof an elongated toothed rack 45 which extends through the longitudinal center of the closure. A shaft 46 is journalled beneath the carrier 26, being journalled in the front and rear walls It and H, respectively, above the guides 43 and 44.

A gear 41 is fixed centrally on the shaft 46 and a second gear 48 is fixed on the shaft 48 adjacent the front wall I 6. A toothed rack 49 is fixed relative to the carrier 26 being supported inwardly of the front flange 32 by supporting bolts or members 50, The rack 49 is adapted to mesh with the gear 48 whereas the rack 45 is adapted to mesh with the gear 41. The racks 45 and 49 are adapted to be oppositely disposed at all times so that when the closure 42 overlies the cleaning compartment 2!, the carrier 26 with the rack 49 will overlie the rinsing compartment '22. When the carrier 26 is moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 9, the closure 42 will be shifted to the left so as to overlie the rinsing compartment 22, whereas the carrier 26 will overlie the cleaning compartment 2|.

An elevator structure, generally designated as 5!, is movably supported relative to the carrier 26 and includes a basket supporting frame 52 which is secured to the lower end of a depending bar 53. The supporting frame 52 is an open frame being formed with a basket seat 54, and a vertically disposed rear flange 55 to which the lower end of the supporting bar 53 is secured. The frame 52 is of a size to loosely engage within the opening 49 and is adapted to have positioned thereon, a wire basket 56 within which tumblers 5'1, disposed in an inverted position, are adapted to engage. The supporting bar 53 is secured at its upper end by fastening members 58 to a vertica'lly disposed block 59. The block 59 forms part of a vertically movable carriage 60. The

carriage 69 includes, as shown in Figure 5, an arcuate plate 6|, having opposed pairs of rollers 82 secured to the open side thereof. The rollers 82 movably engage in vertically disposed grooves 53, formed in a vertically disposed supporting post 64. The supporting post 64 is secured at its lower end to a rearwardly projecting boss 65 by means of set screws 66. The supporting post or standard 64 has mounted on the upper end thereof a cap 61 which is secured to the upper end of the standard or post 64, by means of a set screw 53. A forwardly projecting plate 69 is formed integral with or secured to the cap 61 and the plate 89 has formed integral therewith an L-shaped bracket 10. The bracket 19 includes a lower horizontal leg H which is downwardly offset by means of a connecting part 12 from the plate 69. A vertically disposed leg 13 extends upwardly from the forward end of the horizontal leg 7| and is braced by means of a bracing web 14. The block 59, at the upper end thereof, has formed integral therewith, an upwardly extending ear or lug 15 which constitutes a clamping jaw and a clamping plate 16 is adapted to confront the lug or clamping member 15, being secured in clamping position by means of fastening members Tl so as to tightly secure one end of a flexible cable l8. The cable 18 is trained over a spirally grooved pulley 19 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 80. The shaft is disposed between a pair of upwardly extending ears 6| secured to or formed integral with the cap 67. The cable 18 extends through an opening 82 formed in the plate 89 and also extends through an opening 83 formed in the cap 61. The cable '18 is extended downwardly into the interior of the post or standard 64 and has secured to the lower end thereof a cup-shaped slide member 84. The slide member 84 is constantly urged downwardly by means of a spring 85, which has the lower end thereof engaging the slide member 84 and the upper end of the spring 85 bears against the inner side of the cap 61. The cable 18 extends downwardly through the interior of the spring 85. As the carriage 6|, which also includes the block 59, is moved downwardly along the post or standard 64, the slide 84 will be pulled upwardly, thereby tensioning the spring 85, this spring constituting a balancing spring for substantially balancing the carriage 596| along the length of the supporting post 64.

A brush carrier 86 is disposed below the bracket 10 and has secured thereto an upwardly extending shaft 81. The shaft 81 is slidabl through a depending tubular guide 88, which is secured in a forwardly extending arm 89 which may be formed integral with the block or body 59 and upwardly offset therefrom. The brush carrier 86 is adapted to be vertically shifted relative to the horizontally movable carrier 26 by means of an operating lever, generally designated as 90. The operating lever 98 includes a handle 9| which is secured to a U-shaped lever 92 by fastening members 93. The handle 9| is formed with a base 94 which engages a bight 95 of the U-shaped lever 92. The U-shaped lever 92 is formed with the legs thereof having a vertically disposed forward portion 96, a horizontal portion 91, and an obtusely and downwardly inclined rear portion 98. The terminal ends of the rear portions 98, as shown in Figure 5, are each provided with a fork 99 engaging on the opposite sides of a pair of depending lever supporting members I09. The lever supporting members I80 are provided in angle shape and are formed as the opposite legs of a depending U-shaped support which has the bight IOI thereof uppermost and secured by. fastening members I82 to the lower side of the plate 69.

The bight or upper plate I'0I is formed with an opening I08 registering with. the opening 82, and through which the cable I8 movably engages. The forks 99 are roekably mounted on pivot members I84, carried by the lower ends of the arms I500. The brush carrier 86 is connected to the U- shaped lever 92, by means of a pair of links I05.

The links I05 are formed with a bifurcated upper end portion I06, engaging on the opposite sides of a horizontal leg portion 91, and secured thereto by means of a pivot member WI. The lower ends of the links I05 are rockably mounted on a horizontally disposed shaft I08 extending through pairs of upwardly projecting ears I09 formed integral with the brush carrier 86.

The carrier 86 and the lever structure 92 are adapted to be held in a depressed position by means of an elongated bar IIO which has the lower end thereof disposed between a pair of ears I I I upstanding from the carrier 86, and disposed between theouter pairs of ears I09. The lower end of the latching bar H is pivotally mounted on the shaft I08. The bar I I0 is formed with a forwardly offset upper portion II2 having on its rear edge ratchet teeth H3. The upper end of the latching bar H0 is formed with a releasing cam I I4, which is adapted to strike the rounded portion II5 of the bracket I0 when the brush carrier is raised to a disengaging position. The cam member I I4 is also formed with a right angular latching member I I6, which is adapted to engage the outer edge of a plate II'I secured by fastening members I I8 to the upper portion of the vertical leg I3 of the bracket I9.

The latching bar H0 is formed with a finger engaging member I I9 at its upper end for rocking the bar I I0 forwardly to a released position, with respect to the keeper or holding plate I II in order to permit the carrier 86 to be lowered and to permit the carrier operating lever structure 90-92 to be rocked downwardly. The latching bar H0 is resiliently urged rearwardly by means of an elongated spring I29, which is secured to a plate I2I carried by the forward end of the arm 89. The bar I I0 loosely engages through an opening I 22 formed in the forward end of the arm 89, and a latch plate or keeper I23 is fixed to the arm 89, in forwardly projecting relation to the rear end of the opening I22 for engagement by the ratchet teeth H3 after the upper portion of the latching bar has been lowered to a point below the. bracket I0.

The brush carrier 86 comprises, as is shown in Figure 4, a pair of elongated frame bars I24 disposed in parallel relation and connected together at the opposite ends thereof by connecting members I25. A pair of outwardly divergent extensions I26 extend from the rectangular frame formed by the longitudinal bars I24 and the end bars I25. The carrier 86 has secured to or formed integral with the frame I2'I comprising the bars I24, I and the extensions I26, a plurality of brush supporting members I28. The brush supporting members I28 comprise a pair of oppositely disposed arms I29 having upwardly tapered opposite end portions I30. The brush supporting members I28 also include oppositely disposed cap members I3I which are circumferentially oifset from the arms I29, as shown in Figure 4. The cap members I3I constitute limit means for limiting the insertion of the brush members, gen- :erally designated as I32, on. the supporting meminwardly convergent relation. as shown in Figure 12. The bristles, carried by the inwardly projecting arms I36 ar adapted to engage diametrically across theupper side of the tumbler bottomso that this upper side will be cleaned during the immersion of'the tumblers in the tub I5.

In order. toprevent the horizontal movable carriage 26. from being lifted off of the tracks 21 and 28, I have provided an L-shaped holding member I3l, which is secured by fastening members I38 to. a forwardly projecting boss I39 carried-by the front side of the front flange 32. The lower horizontal side I48 of thehol'ding member IL3'I is adapted to engage beneath the reinforcing flange 29, as shown in. Figure 3.

In the use and operation of this washing machine the tumblers 51 are placed in the basket 56and this basket placed on the seat 54 of the elevatorv frame 52. At this time the elevator 5! is in the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The latching bar IE8 is thenpulled forwardly to release the latchingmember H6 from the keeper I I'I. The lever, including themembers 98 and'92, may then be rocked downwardly so that the brushes I82 on the carrier 86 will engage the inverted'bottonis of the tumblers 51. The lever may then be rocked downwardly an additional distance thereby forcing the elevator 5I downwardly and at this time the upper end of the latching bar-H8 will be below the upper bracket I0. The latching bar I I 0 will be moved rearwardly to a carrier latching position by means of the spring I20 soasto holdthe brushes I 32 in firm contact with the inverted bottoms of the tumblers 51. The elevator 5i may be vertically reciprocated in, as an example, the washing compartment 2i and during the vertical reciprocation 'ofthe elevator 5I, the element will be substantially balanced by means of the balancing spring 85. As the elevator BI is lowered the slide member 84 Will be pulled upwardly thereby placing additional? tension on the spring 85, and the cable I8 will move along the spiral groove of the pulley I9. The movement of the cable I8 along the spiral groove i6 is from the small end or diameter of the-pulley to the large end or diameter of the pulley as the elevator 5I is being lowered.

After the tumblers have been washed in the washing compartment 2I, the carriage 26 may be shifted to the left, as viewed in Figure 9, thereby shifting the closure 42 to a position covering the washing compartment 2!. The elevator 5i may then be lowered and reciprocated within the rinsing compartment 22 after which the elevator may be raised to the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The raising of the elevator 5| toward the uppermost position will efiect an initial unlatching of the latching bar I I 0 as the cam member II4 engages the rounded portion II5 moving the latching bar IIO to the right and out of engagement with the keeper I 23, so that during the latter raising of the operating lever the brush carrier 86 will be raised to its uppermost inoperative position and at this time the spring I20 will force the latching bar IIO into engagement with the upper keeper Ill. The basket 56, with the tumblers 51 therein, may then be placed on the drier 23. This operation provides for the cleaning of the tumblers without contacting the tumblers with the hands or any drying racks, the tumblers being retained at all times in the basket 56.

In Figures 15 and 16, there is disclosed a modified form of grooved pulley 19a which includes a substantially spiral pulley member I4I which is formed with a cutout I42 which forms a reduced part I43. The pulley member I4I has a groove I44 which terminates at the inner portion of the reduced part I43, and is also formed with uppositely inclined grooves I45 and I46, the latter groove terminating in an opening I41. The face of the pulley member I4I opposite from the grooves I45 and I46 is also formed with a groove I48 extending from the opening I41.

An annular grooved pulley I49 is disposed in face abutting relation to the pulley member HI and is secured on a cylindrical bushing or sleeve I50 which is press-fitted into the pulleys MI and I49. An arcuate block I5I is secured to the pulley member MI by fastening members I 52 and is formed with a groove I53 in which the cable 18a is adapted to engage. The cable 18a is trained about the pulley 19a as shown, the reduced part I43 being at the rear and lowermost when the slide 60 is in an uppermost position, and then swinging upwardly, forwardly and downwardly when the slide 60 is lowered. As viewed in Figure 15, the cable 18a is trained from the left upwardly and forwardly over the pulley I49, reverted over the plate I5I, passes through the opening I41, downwardly through the grooves I46 and I45, is again reverted over the end I43 and is then trained about the peripheral groove forwardly and downwardly. The pulley 19a may be substituted for the pulley I9 to provide smoother sliding movement for the carriage and the more ready tensioning of spring 85.

I claim:

1. A glassware washing machine comprising a tub, a partition in said tub dividing the latter into a pair of compartments, a closure horizontally slidable in said tub and adapted to close a selected one of said compartments, horizontally shiftable means movably carried by said tub for dipping glassware into a selected compartment, and correlated means carried by said tub, said closure and said first means for shifting said closure oppositely from said first means.

2. A glassware washing machine comprising a tub, a carriage movably carried by said tub, an upstanding supporting post fixed to said carriage,

'a vertically movable elevator, means slidably supporting said elevator from said post, operating means for said elevator, a balancing spring in said post, a pulley rotatable on said post, and means trained over said pulley and connected to said elevator and said spring for tensioning the latter upon lowering of said elevator.

3. In a glassware Washing machine including a tub provided with a pair of compartments and a horizontally shiftable dipping means movable along said tub, a slidable closure adapted to close one of said compartments, and means operable upon shifting of said dipping means in one direction for shifting said closure in the opposite direction.

4. In combination, a tub formed of a pair of compartments, a horizontally movable dipping means carried by said tub, a closure for one of said compartments, guide means for said closure carried by said tub, and means operable by movement of said dipping means in one direction for moving said closure in the opposite direction.

5. In combination, a tub formed of a pair of compartments, a horizontally movable dipping means carried by said tub, a closure for one of said compartments, guide means for said closure carried by said tub, and a shaft rotatably carried by said tub, a pair of gears on said shaft, a gear rack fixed to said closure meshing with one of said gears, and a gear rack fixed to said dipping means meshing with the other of said gears whereby said closure will move oppositely from movement of said dipping means.

ANDERS RUDOLF LOFSTRAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 514,262 Denton Feb. 16, 1894 1,100,858 Winsor June 23, 1914 1,382,683 Shelton June 28, 1921 1,464,294 Reese Aug. 7, 1923 1,514,079 Gehnrich Nov. 4, 1924 1,569,049 Stufilebeam Jan. 12, 1926 1,835,672 Shank Dec. 8, 1931 1,990,894 Brubaker Feb. 12, 1935 1,992,920 Lofstrand, Jr. Feb. 26, 1935 2,052,835 Lofstrand, Jr. Sept. 1, 1936 2,116,155 Lofstrand, Sr May 3, 1938 2,123,308 Lofstrand, Sr July 12, 1938 2,183,139 Hertzberg Dec. 12, 1939 2,299,478 Hoge et a1 Oct. 20, 1942 

